Squash-Apple Soup

I'm back from my much needed vacation and while away I found some new recipes. This is one of them and my goodness was it good! It's very fallish here in Cleveland right now and soup with grilled cheese is my kind of easy meal when it's a bit nippy out. (This would also be great with just some hearty bread - like sourdough - and cheese!)

This recipe calls for the frozen winter squash packs, but seeing as I can only find frozen winter squash in the organic section of the store, and the 'organic' label makes said package a whopping 3 plus dollars, I went with the slightly more time consuming route, but much more cost effective. I bought the acorn squashes for under a buck a piece and it took less than 30 minutes for me to cook, de-seed (I think there's a technical name for that, but I don't know what it is), and smash up the squash 'meat'. Well worth my time and money.

**As a side note, I had no idea how many squash it would take to get 4-5 cups of the smashed goodness, so I just bought 4 of them, thinking that I knew each one would produce at least a cup a piece. Yeah. At least. Try 2.5 cups a piece. So I had to put my cute little crock pot away and get the big daddy one out so I could double the soup. But now, I have an entire soup meal (8-10 cups worth) in my freezer!
***SECOND SIDE NOTE: I just realized that the recipe calls for butternut squash if you're not doing frozen and I totally used Acorn squash on accident. SO glad that it still worked. haha

Butternut Squash-Apple Soup (Crock pot style)

• 3 12oz frozen pks winter squash thawed and drained (4-5 cups Acorn or Butternut squash cooked, de-seeded, and smashed)
• 3-4 cups chicken broth depending on how thick you want the final product to be
• 1 medium golden delicious apple - peeled, cored, and chopped
• 2 T minced onion
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1/2 t ground sage (I didn't have sage on hand so I used tarragon instead. FAB-U-LOUS)
• 1/4 t ground ginger
• 1/2 c heavy cream or half 'n' half (I actually used normal 2% milk and it was just fine) (I think if you used almond or hazelnut milk, this could be considered heart healthy!)
  

--Combine all in crock pot (except milk!), cover, and cook on high for 3 hours
--Puree (with a handy-dandy hand mixer if you have it!)
--Stir in milk right before serving

Hawaiian Haystacks

Or Happy Mountains. But I like the Hawaiian Haystack title better. This is a great crowd pleaser - especially when you're not sure what people like to eat. I've made it a few times now and every time I get rave reviews. Adults love it. Kids love it. It's pretty much just a bunch of random vegetables (and some fruit) thrown together. And it's delicious. What's not to love? This is a wonderful summer-time meal -- it's light and fresh and oh so tasty. I usually double it and then enjoy the left overs for lunch and dinner the following days. It's that good.

Hawaiian Haystacks

• 4-6 cups cooked rice
• 3 cups cooked and cubed chicken
• 2 cans cream of chicken coup - you can use the 98% Fat Free kind - doesn't affect the taste in the least!
  
• 1 cup chicken broth/stock
• 1 can pineapple tidbits (the liquid - about 1 cup - reserved for the sauce)
• Celery - sliced
• Carrots - sliced
• Tomatoes - diced
• Green onions - sliced
  
• Water chestnuts - sliced or diced
• Sliced almonds or peanuts
• Coconut (this is a must -- it totally makes the dish)
  
• Chow Mien Noodles
• Shredded Cheddar cheese

-- In a large sauce pan, bring the soup, chicken broth, and pineapple juice to a boil. Let simmer 10 minutes. Add the chunks of cooked chicken and heat through.
-- Meanwhile, put all the "toppings" into bowls.
-- To serve, just pile it on starting with the rice and then the chicken. **Note that once you pile everything on it's pretty big, so go easy on the rice and chicken

All set up for people to run through the line!

Waffle Cookies

About 2 months ago, my mom sent an article she tore out of (shhh!) the airline magazine she was able to leaf through on her way back to CO from helping me get settled out here. The article wasn't so much of an article as it was a recipe of making cookies with a waffle iron. The only thing was that I did not have a waffle iron. So I threw the article/recipe away. And then, I found a waffle/pizzelle maker for only $5. "Waffle cookies here I come!" I thought. Except, wait, I threw that recipe out. Oh well, that's what the internet's for... right? Kinda.

I found a few recipes that seemed similar to the original one I remembered. Crispy chocolate chip cookie on the outside, soft on the inside. My kind of cookie. So yesterday after naps, Evan and I made the first recipe. I mean, come on!, it's cookies in a waffle iron with a two year old -- how much better can you get?!



The first recipe was just all right. They were too much like waffles to me and not sweet enough to pass for cookies. In fact, when Scot came home and tried one, he raved about them. As waffles. When he found out they were supposed to be cookies, he took my side of things. I told him he could eat them for breakfast the next morning. He did. Gladly.



The second recipe, however, made after naps today, was right on. I used my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and just halved the recipe in case it didn't turn out. It's hot outside right now and I didn't want to have to turn the oven on to salvage a batch of dough. Thankfully, everything was just fine. Better than fine, really. These cookies were just what I was wanting. Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. After 2 minutes in the waffle iron, they were ready to be taken out (with a spatula very carefully slid under so as to not break them apart), and placed on a cooling rack. A huge glass of milk with these bad boys and I have dessert for tonight covered.

I can't wait to try out other cookie recipes...like sugar cookies. With glittery sprinkles. If I make them small enough, would they pass for snow flakes? Ya think?


Other recipes I plan on trying are here and here. I'm thinking Christmas cookie plates. Yes? And the pizzelles this thing can turn out...oh yes. Christmas baking this year is already starting to look good!

Simple Cucumber Salad

I'm sure we all have a recipe like this somewhere, but, just in case you don't, here's one you should try! I was blessed with a neighbor who needed me to pick her garden while she was on vacation for a week - little did I know the kind of produce I would be getting! Needless to say, we've had a lot of this stuff around our house the past week and we are not complaining one bit!

Simple Cucumber Salad

• 3 large cucumbers - skinned if you want and sliced thin
• 1 smallish onion - sliced thin
• 1/2 vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar

--Put the sliced cucumbers and onion in a bowl (I usually add dill to this, but I didn't have any on hand - bummer!)
--Mix vinegar and sugar together and pour over top
--Stick in the fridge for an hour or so and enjoy the freshness!

NOTE: Great if you add tomatoes to it, too!

Zesty Chicken and Rice

I love crock-pot meals. Especially on Mondays when I devote the day to cleaning. The last thing I want to do Monday night is cook or clean dirtied kitchen. So I every Monday morning, I run to my crockpot with open arms! This past week I made a new dish and tweaked it a little according to what I had on hand, and it was great! I served it with a veggie and I was good to go! I also will tone down the spice next time I make this (and there will be a next time, let me assure you), but it must not have been too spicy because Evan it just fine. I'm just a wimp when it comes to spice.

Zesty Chicken and Rice

Serves:4 (Large Men)

• 2 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts (I used 2 small and quite a few tenderloins I had)
• 2 large bell peppers, coarsely chopped (I did mine in strips, but will shop next time)
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes - undrained
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 1 cup water
• 1 pkg dry Taco seasoning (I actually used Enchilada seasoning because it's what I had and it was wonderful!)
• 1 t ground red pepper
• 1 t cinnamon (I added this and loved it with the enchilada seasonings, but I wouldn't add it with the taco I don't think)
• S&P to taste
• Shredded cheese for the top (optional)

--Mix it all (except the cheese, of course) up and set on High for 4 hours! Top with the cheese


NOTE: I put everything in frozen. The chicken and the bell peppers at least (I had planned on making this a while back but didn't, so I was forced to cut the peppers and freeze them, but it worked out great!)

Pastitsio

This is called Greek Lasagna, although why it has that name, I have no idea. Scot and I were trying to figure out what makes this Greek and we haven't a clue. No feta, no spinach, no olives or sun dried tomatoes. Shows our limited food knowledge of a place we've only ever dreamed of visiting. All that aside, it was delicious! The cinnamon complimented the other herbs perfectly and the light and fluffy topping was a wonderful surprise. I got the recipe from a friend and have been anxious to try it for quite a few weeks and last night was the night. It was so worth the wait! I served it with fresh-from-the-garden green beans that had my favorite "Greek Dressing" on them - YUM!

Pastitsio

• 1 lb. ground meat
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• one 8 oz. can tomato sauce (I used 1 cup traditional spaghetti sauce and just used 1 T Parsley)
• 2 tbsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (I used my favorite Italian Shredded combo and upped the cheese to a cup)
• 2 cups dry elbow macaroni or other short pasta like Rotini (cook according to package instructions)

--In a large skillet, brown meat with the onion and garlic.
--Add the tomato sauce and spices. Let simmer 5 minutes and then add one beaten egg.
--In a small sauce pan, melt butter and stir in flour. Add 1 1/2 cups of milk (reserve the other 1/4 cup in a small mixing bowl) and stir until slightly thick. Add two beaten eggs and 1/2 the cheese. Stir til thick.
--In the small mixing bowl, whisk together the one last egg, the 1/4 cup milk, and the other half of the cheese. Mix in the cooked pasta.
--Now to assemble in a greased 8x8x2 pan: 1/2 the pasta on the bottom, all the meat, the other half of the pasta, and then the sauce on top. Sprinkle more cinnamon on top if desired (and you should desire).
--Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350. Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Chicken Parmesan

So Chicken Parmesan was one of those meal that I always wanted to make, but never had a really good recipe for. Well, no longer. This is healthy and easy and ooooh so tasty. Originally a Sisters Cafe recipe, I use their "healthy" version. The sauce is what sets this Chicken Parmesan apart from other recipes. It's chunky and slightly sweet and absolutely bursting with the flavors of all the herbs! Even if you have a go-to Chicken Parmesan recipe, I hope you'll give this one a try!

Chicken Parmesan

For the sauce:

• 2 Tb olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped (approx 1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 cans Italian diced tomatoes
• 1 Tb sugar
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
  

For the chicken:

• 1-2 lbs chicken breasts
• Mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese (Or I just get the bag of Italian shredded cheese - it's Mozzarella, Parmesan, and Romano all together)

--For the sauce: Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onions are tender and transparent. Add the rest of the ingredients and let simmer for 10 minutes.
--Meanwhile: Place the chicken in a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the cheese on to your desired taste. Pour the sauce over, cover, and bake for 40 minutes at 350.
--Top with shredded Parmesan (not pictured because I forgot to do it until after I took a few bites!)